New Delhi, August 13: The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has suspended the licenses of three food business operators with immediate effect, prioritizing consumer health and food safety. The regulatory body stated that these companies were found to be making misleading claims, maintaining extremely poor hygiene standards, and committing serious violations of food safety norms, which posed risks to public health.
In a statement on the social media platform X, FSSAI revealed that the licenses of A.B. Enterprises from Meghalaya, Jaika Organics (OPC) Private Limited from Odisha, and Narayani Foods and Beverages have been suspended following inspections and regulatory actions.
In the case of A.B. Enterprises, FSSAI discovered that the company was making health benefit claims on its product labels and promotional materials, violating the Food Safety and Standards (Advertising and Claims) Regulations, 2018. The investigation also revealed that the company was operating food products without the necessary manufacturing approval in its FSSAI license.
FSSAI issued a notice for corrective action and provided the company an opportunity for a personal hearing to present its case. However, no response or clarification was provided by the company. FSSAI noted that such claims could mislead consumers and affect their purchasing behavior, leading to a directive for the company to halt all food business activities until further notice.
Meanwhile, Jaika Organics (OPC) Private Limited was found to have significant cleanliness and sanitation issues during an inspection of its plant. FSSAI reported that food products were being manufactured, packaged, and stored in unsanitary conditions. Additionally, problems related to poor housekeeping, pest control, rusty equipment, improper storage of raw materials and finished products, and a lack of necessary controls in production processes were identified.
The inspection also revealed that important information such as manufacturing dates, batch numbers, and expiry dates were missing from some products and materials. The company scored only 10 out of 90 in compliance evaluation, placing it in the ‘non-compliance’ category.
FSSAI stated that such conditions could pose physical, chemical, and biological risks in food, directly threatening public health. Consequently, the company’s license was suspended with immediate effect.
Similarly, Narayani Foods and Beverages faced strict action due to extremely poor hygiene conditions and serious deficiencies in its food safety management system. The inspection uncovered the presence of flies, spider webs, pest entry points, algae around water sources, rusty equipment, and waste accumulation near food materials in the processing and storage areas.
Furthermore, the storage arrangements for finished products did not meet standards, and several deficiencies were found in the record-keeping process. FSSAI noted that essential records related to food safety training and control samples were also unavailable.
Narayani Foods and Beverages received a score of only 20 out of 80 in compliance evaluation, categorizing it as ‘non-compliance’ as well.
FSSAI emphasized that there will be no compromise on public health and food safety, and strict actions against businesses violating regulations will continue.
Deependra Singh Chundawat is a Senior Sub-Editor at Udaipur Kiran, specializing in a wide range of technology topics including mobile phones, applications, gaming, PCs, and wearables. Along with covering the latest tech news, he also creates engaging web stories. Passionate about emerging technologies, he stays up to date with the newest trends and enjoys reading and writing about the latest mobile launches and digital innovations.